


A matter of pride, a matter of honor

by mols



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Duelling, F/F, Field Trip, Fluff, honor discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-27 06:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16213247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mols/pseuds/mols
Summary: Quinn is ordered to serve and guide Fiora to Noxus for an honor duel. They don't start on the right foot, but then...





	A matter of pride, a matter of honor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SirAranIsWriting](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirAranIsWriting/gifts).



> I'd like to thank my friend K for helping me with bird things s2 and for reading this fic although she isnt in this fandom.
> 
> And I wish the person who is receiving this fic can enjoy read it as much as I enjoyed to write and to create this fic's own universe.

It was not that she didn't respect Fiora. The noblewoman was certainly a source of inspiration for any woman, Demacian and maybe not, who wanted a destiny of her own making. But Quinn was not someone used to receive strict orders or to guide people beyond enemy lines. Besides, she was quite _tired_ to know that she was rather capable of doing anything by herself and Valor; she didn’t want or needed anyone else in her work.

Quinn’s superior had though made it clear that she must convey Fiora through Noxian territory and thus, accept the noble woman’s company into her skirmishes beyond Demacia lands while they were at each other’s company.  Quinn obliged, of course, as she was ordered to and wasn't someone to confront her direct orders, but she expected him to know that by now.

She knew it would be a complicated fit. And none of them would back down, but she didn't feel quite pleased with that when Fiora started showing their mutual discontent.

“I know the way,” Fiora suddenly broke the silence, in her sharp and curt way, as they walked down the road out, taking the path to Demacia’s outskirts.

It was a quite hot day in Demacia. The city used to be humid, but sometimes it got even hotter - impossible hotter. And it was getting into Quinn’s nerves as she was still to get out the mainland and into the forests, where she felt more at ease, surrounded by a few people like her and the known creatures living there. So, of course, she wasn’t having it.

At that, Quinn barely squinted at Fiora but didn’t say anything. There was no point in discussing such a subject, especially not when she knew Fiora to be as stubborn as herself, that she would barely stop to breathe between argumentations. I. E. it was indeed (and entirely) pointless. And they both needed to keep their energy for after, during the not so short trip to Noxus.

Quinn kept her pace, looking undisturbed by Fiora’s comment. Valor over her brace armor as always, watching the environment attentively and close. Intriguing enough, the bird hadn’t had made any comment about the whole situation, probably not in the mood for that kind of tiresome conversation. Smart bird.

As they walked, thoughts flooded Quinn’s mind. Remembrances of all kinds. It was suddenly but it was welcomed, ar first, to distract her from the current annoyances surrounding her. If only Caleb was here. They could look at each other and understand what she felt now. Valor poked at her with her peak softly which made Quinn smile.

The huntress caught the noblewoman opening her mouth but closing it in follow. She was probably understanding that there was no use to argue with Quinn.

Of course, though, she needed to make a last comment:

“But if you insist on making me company…”

Quinn rolled her eyes.

“It’s my job, ma’am.”

Fiora tipped her head, letting out a small snort:

“I guess so.”

Quinn didn’t like Fiora’s attitude, but then again, she probably knew deep inside that they both were acting childish, still trying to avoid the fact that they both were uncomfortable with the whole agreement - even when she was sure, they were both aware.

At last they seemed to have come to an agreement between each other. They didn’t like much the arrangement, but Quinn knew that fighting it wouldn’t make it better. So they stayed quiet, minding their own pathing.

-

The trip would take at least another day and some hours to be done. So Quinn decided for them to rest at some place as the sun set on the horizon and the wind got wilder - although the heat seemed to withstanding any change on climate.

Not long they found a place to stay. A humble accommodation, but still an accommodation nonetheless, the only one Quinn have seen so far.

Quinn didn't use many of them when she was in a hunting or during missions, to not call attention. But now she was with Fiora by her side. A noblewoman was expected to have good accommodations, right? Or at least a mattress with cover.

It was in a small town between the major state cities of Demacia and Noxus, beyond the Greenfang Mountains. The number of shops could be counted on her hands.

It was calm, and it helped Quinn’s humor although the heat was still lingering on her skin, especially where her clothing, and armor,  covered which was a lot of Quinn’s flesh - the majority of her body.

As the two women walked inside the small village, Quinn could sense their eyes on them, especially on Fiora, but Fiora seemed undisturbed. Quinn didn’t like the talking but was satisfied enough to not find any confusion or fight there. She was tired, her feet sole ached and she just wanted a bath and a good enough bed to sleep on. She wasn’t about complaining now.

They went up the stairs, each to her room. Quinn wouldn’t mind sharing a room, or even a bed, really, she had done things like that many times before. But Fiora was noble, too noble for Quinn to offer it. So they chose two rooms for each one of them - one beside the other, just in case (although Fiora asked which case?)

It was 8 pm when Quinn went to check on Fiora just so they remembered their schedule and if Fiora had any kind of request of necessity.

Fiora had let Quinn with her keys: “because I ain’t going anywhere and I don’t want to get out of my bath because of visits,” he had explained in her unique accent. Quinn had no idea how Fiora sounded so different than the rest of Demacia, but she didn’t make questions. It was ultimately a job, and a job she wasn’t really interested to make personal.

Valor, though, decided to talk after an entire day quiet.

_She’s a snob, isn’t she?_

Quinn looked at her in surprise:

“So you decided to talk now, Val?” she smirked in amusement, “I thought someone had kidnapped your tongue.”

The bird made an annoyed noise and looked up to Quinn.

 _My feathers were on fire, Quinn!_ said the bird, fluttering her wings in distress as she panted quietly.

Quinn grunted in agreement.

“I bet,” she let the key fall into home, looking over her shoulder at the bird hopped there “Are you better now?”

Val made the same noise again, but sighing over her wings.

_Not much._

Quinn smiled, apologetically.

“We are gonna do something about that, soon, Val.”

The chirp now was small but enough hopeful. Quinn smiled as she turned the key and opened the door.

“Fiora?” Quinn called, pushing the old door inside and quickly closing it behind her.

Valor really looked unwell but they had a duty to meet. Quinn caressed the bird behind the ears.

“I’ll see it soon, I promise, Val.”

The bird didn’t answer and Quinn crouched.

“You should stay here, try a nice shadow, alright?” She helped the tired bird down and watched as the bird ran to a corner.

Poor thing, Quinn thought, feeling unease. She wished she had thought before about the bird’s well being. Now she was already on Fiora’s accommodations to take care of Val’s needs.

“I will bring water,” she says, raising up; she looked around, “Fiora?” she asked, her voice tone firm and audible.

“What?” Fiora asked behind a door, probably to the accommodation’s bathroom.

“Are you ok?” Quinn asked, walking to the door to hear the woman and getting caught sight of Fiora through the ajar door. She was rolling a towel around herself and her pale skin shone with the water drops rolling down her toned muscles.

Quinn turned her back to the door and held her breath. She wasn’t supposed to spy on Fiora, and she surely shouldn’t like to look at Fiora’s almost naked body.

She bit her lower lip, trying to walk away as fast as she could. The smell of jasmine taking up her mind.

“Fuck.”

“Of course,” Fiora answered, walking out of the bathroom, “Why wouldn’t I?”

Quinn was a little scared of turning around. She didn’t want Fiora to know how she felt. Wait, why would she? She wasn’t a mind reader! But Quinn was blushing and she was...biting her lip at the imagery she had stocked in her brain. Shit.

“I want-wanted to make sure,” Quinn stuttered, trying to turn around without locking eyes with the other woman, “Just...I just...I’m just here to che-check our schedule.”

Now she was getting more ashamed because she couldn’t stop stuttering then because she thought Fiora looked...beautiful, in a way that she wanted to touch her, which was completely bad and inappropriate and unacceptable and…

“Are you ok?” Fiora raised an eyebrow, walking to the other side of the room. “You don’t look...ok.”

“I’m fine,” Quinn said, very fine. Just that she wasn’t but then again, why all this?

Then the bird walked into the fluttering again. Squawking at them.

_Water, Quinn, my water._

“Ow,” Quinn kneeled and took the bird, “Right.” She looked up to Fiora, or at least she tried to, “I need to take care of Val, she is dehydrated.”

Fiora nodded,

“Sure,” he looked a little weirded out, “Just take some from the sink.” She shook her head and started taking her clothes, “Please, gonna change.”

“Oh, yeah,” Quinn said, turning around and walking quite fast to the bathroom, “I am going…”

-

After showing Valor the way to the sink, Quinn walked back to her room, placing her beast over the bed and taking her helmet and the other pieces of armors off besides her body suit as the sweat was really gripping at her. She organized everything but the beast in a bundle and walked inside the shower, and let the lukewarm water wash away her tiredness and sweat. She washed her hair and her mind wandered around.

She hadn’t liked the assignment when she got it. And she didn’t like it much more now. But something about Fiora...something made her heart skip, her face to flush and her hands to go cold. And it wasn’t like she was afraid of her - although she felt wrong for catching a glimpse of Fiora’s privacies. It was something entirely else. Fiora seemed as distant as ever, but Quinn caught herself imagining who Fiora really was. She wanted to get to know her. Not just because of her beauty - and she had already admitted to herself that she felt something unique about how beautiful the noblewoman was - but because she seemed to be so much more than she let on.

The things Quinn knew about Fiora by knowing the Laurent family fame were kept carefully molded and neutral, there seemed to not be any scratch over the perfect and cold surface of a family head. Quinn knew Fiora was still trying to prove herself, her family. But everything around it, any feeling, any human reaction to being in such a tough and wary position, when she was a woman and most people didn’t believe such a young woman was capable of dealing with, was carefully hidden.

-

Back at the room, and against the rough and hard mattress, Quinn kept thinking about her. About the details that kept popping up into her head. She couldn’t remember every detail, but she could cover up the parts she didn’t recall with her imagination based on what she did recall.

She felt uncomfortable to think of it, as if it were disrespectful, as if every curiosity and good will of her would come from the idea of how beautiful the noblewoman was, while she probably had a lot more to offer. And it was quite impossible for her, Quinn, to be worth to Fiora to want to know her back.

After a couple of hours, Valor sleeping on her chest, Quinn’s wary eyes closed and she fell asleep.

-

She woke up to Fiora’s military voice:

“Wake up,” she banged on the door, “wake up, birdhead,” he muttered as she kept the knocking up.

Quinn blinked, what the hell.

She raised her dizzy head and looked over her shoulder.

“What is this??”

“We have to go!” Fiora said, as if she heard Quinn’s muttering. “Wake up.” She pounded a little harder and stopped. “Seriously.”

Quinn slowly and groping at the furniture, raised up from the bed and bouncing to the door. She opened the door.

“Seriously, you don’t need to put that thing down,” Quinn answered, brushing her eyes, her head pounding for some reason. “I am already up, just go take…”

“I already did,” Fiora answered, in her serious and business tone, putting her hands on her waist, “I’m waiting you to get up to business.”

“Right,” Quinn answered, “So let me…”

Fiora nodded, “right, but if you go to sleep again…”

Quinn rolled her eyes.

“For Valoran’s sake, I’m not.”

Fiora nodded again and hesitantly walked away downstairs.

“I am waiting,” she warned, raising a finger up as she climbed down the stars.

“Right, right,” Quinn rolled her eyes, letting her forehead fall on the door, “fuck my life.”

\----

Not much longer Quinn was downstairs, feeding Valor as she finished her own meal before filling her water canteen and going out again.

She was in the worse mood possible and she just wanted to get rid of this assignment. Get the shit done and just go back to her life.

Strangely enough, she didn’t want to get rid of Fiora. Although she wasn’t really lingering on the thought of Fiora’s spectacle body and how Quinn couldn’t deny how much she also enjoyed women in a more bodily way, she told herself that, she wasn’t really think about that now.

Fiora was a mystery, which was intriguing, and she was also strong, and crazy, and something she didn’t know, a lot of other somethings she didn’t know, which was interesting by itself but also because part of this something made her into that impossible and the strongest woman.

She shook her head as she felt Fiora leaned on the other side of the table.

“I’m here,” Quinn said, blinking, trying not to fall into a hole of grumpiness as she felt tired as hell because she kept thinking instead of sleeping a good amount of the last night.

“I see,” Fiora said, raising up.

Quinn squinted up, Fiora was crossing her arms, looking at her from her powerful position.

“Yeah, well,” Quinn said, giving the rest of her food to Val, “We are going then.” Then she raised up and went to pay the place.

Fiora following not far behind. Valor climbed to her shoulder and stayed there.

“Now are you better?” Quinn asked to Valor as she gave the bird some water.

 _Yes_ , Valor simply said.

“That’s a very unique bird,” Fiora suddenly commented.

Quinn squinted back.

“Yeah, Valor is...special,” Quinn said with a fond smile on her lips while she caressed the bird with her fingernails.

Fiora couldn’t know how special Valor was for Quinn. How much that bird made her feel alive after her twin brother’s death. It had felt like being...back at old times, with a new and at the same time old friend.

She was taking her things up her shoulders when she saw Fiora smiling at her and Valor. Quinn turned her back quickly, not sure if Fiora wanted her to see the noblewoman smiling but it was a quite soft smile.

Quinn sighed, maybe she was seen things but Fiora seemed to be trying to be nicer to her since she had waken Quinn up. Her eyes were probably black and with bags under them. She was sure, but still...She wasn’t expecting that.

“Let’s go,” Fiora said, suddenly, pulling herself in front of Quinn as she quickly made her walk to the horses waiting for them. Quinn could use Valor to travel, but she didn’t want to tire the bird that much. She could let Valor rest for once.

-

As it was expected, they found a Noxtoraa at the borders of the Noxian territory. The guardians of the city awaiting them proximity as they watched them coming. Quinn felt quite uncomfortable - since she never really walked in and out of Noxus through the standard roads - at catching the men staring at them, and the heavy gates covered in Noxian red flags.

Quinn shivered, not liking the idea of entering Noxian territory like this, this open.

A guard stopped them but they were quickly released after a documentation inspection. The Noxians would be notified that those Demacians were in Noxus territory.

Well, Quinn had nothing to hide now. It was a matter of honor that most nobles were supposed to follow, at least it was what she had learnt in her land. She knew that Noxians were different, nobles included. But, well, that was Fiora’s wish, to kill--that is, to duel a Noxian in Noxus.

At the end of their path trail, they were found in front of a huge and somber mansion. It seemed old but fairly kept intact and in its distinguishable matter. It was Noxian noble mansion after all, in a late afternoon in Noxus. If Quinn didn’t know better, or if she could ask to child Quinn, she knew she could swear this place belonged to a millennial old vampire, who would be about waking up just now.

A distinct noise. Something seemed to break in the house, something cracking in twice against the ground, after a big moment of utter and grave silence, which made Quinn’s fantasy seem oddly enough accurate.

“Does it mean our man is a vampire?” Fiora joked in her short and compact manner before coming forward and knocking on the door without any preamble.

Quinn squinted at the other woman as she walked to the door. She snorted. That was the first time Quinn has ever heard that woman joking in the whole trip there. She couldn’t believe how silly but at the same time suave it felt.

The door then, suddenly, opened, an elder short woman showing up, her gaze seemed tired and bored. She looked at them from her baggy eyes.

“Yes?” she asked. There was no semblance of respect, or disdain, it seemed that the woman lived somehow unaware or, more probably, completely uninterested on the demacian x noxian rivalry which was widespread across both lands, but especially on Noxus. She seemed to just want things to be done.

“I’m Fiora Laurent, from the Laurent Family,” Fiora said, solemnly, “I’d like to have a word with your master.”

Quinn didn’t need to see but neither she nor the elder seemed somehow impressed with the speech - with Fiora, she could maybe be but she wasn’t showing - although the woman raised an eyebrow. She knew something about all that. She probably was familiar enough to know it was no Noxian name.

“Of course,” she said, and she shut the door.

Quinn frowned but Fiora seemed to have what she wanted by the elder’s response. She kept quiet and in waiting position.

The huntress shook her head, confused and quite annoyed.

“She needs her master’s allowance to receive me,” Fiora explained, her hands now over her stomach in a very calm and controlled position.

\---

“I come in peace,” Fiora announced and although Quinn felt like rolling her eyes one more time, she couldn’t ignore how elegant and majestic the independent noblewoman looked like from the distance; how tall she looked as her posture kept straight, it was a bit dizzy even, “as much as it is possible, with honor,” she completes, walking a step forward.

The man in front of them observed them with a expected Noxian scorn at Demancians but he didn’t say or do anything disrespectful towards the Demacian women as he raised from his armchair, tilting his chin.

“Fair enough,” he said instead, stern but calmly, tipping his head in agreement. As he turned around, he talked to an employee “Bring Ricardo here.”

Turning around in waiting, both Fiora and the middle age man stared at each other. Fiora’s stare was unwavering and Quinn couldn’t help admire that, looking back at the man, who was still honestly looking like he wouldn’t back down either. Quinn wasn’t exactly ignorant about how nobles acted. It was...She had never seen such a woman as Fiora ever.

There were plenty of strong women in Demacia, just like herself. But there were few noble young women who headed their family on their sword as well as on their heart and back. Fiora had taken too early taken a burden nobody would expect from her if not her destiny had happened as it did.

Suddenly, the young man called Ricardo showed up and Quinn’s, as everybody else’s - but the older man - eyes turned to him. He had long black hair and wore two pieces of dark and shining green clothing. It looked like velvet. But it seemed good enough for a hot weather counting the bare chest under the vest.

His eyes were bored. He looked exactly like a man I once saw on the institute: Vladimir. He was skinny too, and looked like he could take some weight but his hair was darker and his skin, tanned. He looked around, inspecting what was it about. It seemed he hadn’t been warned about anything or who was there to end his miserable life. His eyes went not far as Fiora stood up, taking steps to show her intent.

For a second, his shining green eyes went wide in surprise and confusion, but then they came back to its original boredness in the next second, snorting under his breath locking eyes with Fiora. He didn’t seem at all at ease, even for a Noxian that was supposed to show only disdain towards Demacians. He probably knew what waited, Quinn decided.

“He’s here,” the older man finally broke the silence, in his formal way, “Now let’s do it, shall we?”

Fiora squinted at the guy and barely gestured with her head in agreement, taking her sword from her hilt. She took it while she walked closer to the younger man, never looking at him as she made her way to a transparent double backdoor.

She was opening the door, her hand on the handle when the guy croaked out:

“Is this serious?”

Quinn watched silently from the door, waiting her moment to follow Fiora outside. It was obvious that none there had noticed her or cared about her - the younger guy had probably didn’t notice - there was no point in making herself visible either. So she stayed quiet as Fiora turned her head slightly to the side.

“Yes,” Fiora answered, “You’re gonna pay with your blood the insult you lay on my name.”

Quinn watched as the guy turned around, his fists clenching and unclenching. He knew what Fiora was capable of and he knew he probably didn’t stand a chance. Fiora was an excellent swordswoman but besides that, she was unresting. She could take as much as people could thrust into her. If they only were able to do more than to barely scratch her skin.

She couldn’t see what the man was doing, but Quinn sure could bet he was trying to control his shaking.

None in all Valoran had fought Fiora and got out alive.

That old man probably knew that but cared more about his honor and pride than he cared about his son’s fate and life.

He turned to his father.

“What are you waiting for?” the man asked sternly, but without raising his voice much.

Quinn almost felt pity for him - if only he weren’t a bloody Noxian, though. And if he wasn’t another scumbag, but if he were in any way or shape better and more skillful than Fiora, he wouldn’t give a shit to them, to Fiora.

As he was turned, Quinn watched his throat, the Adam apple moving as he swallowed. He knew where he was heading to.

She followed Fiora outside but soon it became visible that she didn’t need to stay and she asked the maid the outside door.

Quinn decided she didn’t need to watch it, so she went out the door under the shadows of a big plant rested up the front door. Fiora could handle it by herself and if some mess happened, Quinn wouldn’t be far.

\---

The duel was clean and fast. Fiora had even tried to make it last for the sake of displaying a somehow equal duel duo - Quinn had heard of Fiora’s so known desire for “an equal opponent” - but it lasted as much as Fiora’s patience and hope lasted and the Noxian young man was pinned on the dark Noxian mansion background garden not much before they stepped in there.

“Why do you keep doing it?” Quinn asked, shaking her head. She knew the story about the Laurent family, but she couldn’t understand why Fiora cared so much, when she had proved over and over that she was completely and utterly capable, much more than that, an extraordinary woman besides an honorable and loyal to her words Demancian noble and swordswoman.

“This is my inheritance,” Fiora answered, without emotion.

Quinn looked back at her, raising an eyebrow, unsure of what that was supposed to mean.

Fiora looked stern and blank as she looked at the sun setting over the hills for Freljord.

“They don’t trust me,” she said, “my family needs my sword, the respect they lost at the hands of my father.”

Fiora seemed to restrain herself even harder as she said those words. Quinn felt a dot of sympathy for the noblewoman. There was so much effort on what Fiora did, there were so much courage and intent in making herself and her family welcomed again. She was a great woman and everybody knew it but she still felt she needed to prove people she and her family were worth the prestige they always had by blood.

“You don’t have to prove to a stink Noxian you are better than what they think you’re,” Quinn commented, frowning, rolling a little stone in the ground with her boot; then she looked up, “you don’t need to prove it likes this.”

Fiora snorted. Quinn expected it, but it annoyed her anyway.

“Don’t act all mighty on me, Fiora,” Quinn replied, standing her ground, clenching her jaw just enough, “Isn’t finding a purpose, much more honored than fighting these scumbags?”

Fiora then sighed, turning a bit.

“Maybe,” she said, sighing again, “I need to find a way good enough.”

Her arms were crossed over her chest and she looked wary. Quinn sighed.

“Look, I know it’s not easy,” she replied, “I don’t know how much they...How much people want from you. But I know that something must be enough for you, even if it will be only for you.” She nodded, crossing her arms as well. She knew she wasn’t good at doing speeches or making small talk about motivation, or how to solve an unhonorable charge on one’s family but Fiora needed something else. That, what she was living, was misery.

Fiora nodded, turning back to Quinn.

“You’re not wrong,” she said which made Quinn sigh in exasperation.

“I know,” Quinn replied.

Fiora finally smiled a small, simple smile.

“But it’s...rather more complicated than that, I presume.”

Quinn sighed:

“Anyway, you do what you want.”

And when Quinn was turning around, Fiora circled her arm with her fingers. It was soft, a request. Quinn looked up to her, curious.

“Yes,” Fiora said.

Quinn sighed, she didn’t know what was she waiting.

“And what I want is…” Fiora bit her lips and smiled, “to take a drink, with you.”

Quinn held her breath for a moment, her mouth gaping.

“Come on,” Fiora said, blushing a bit which was very different but also very cute, in Quinn’s very blurry mind, “I kind like you.”

Quinn shook her head. They weren’t very friendly some time ago. It was quite odd for her to take that as truth.

“I mean,” Fiora blushed even more, letting go of Quinn’s arm, “You’re right. I want something...more honorable.”

Quinn nodded, agreeing but still uncertain of Fiora’s offer.

“We didn’t start in the right...way. And I’ve heard so many good things about you, about…” he bit her lower lip, “I’m not gonna praise you yet, I need to know real you first.”

Quinn shook her head in disbelief but chuckled either way, letting her head fall.

“I really don’t think…You know what? Why not?” she said. Valor chirping on her arm, “Shut up, Valor.”

They both laughed.

“But like…” now that was Quinn’s time to blush, “I wanted to say you’re--you’re beautiful.”

Fiora blushed but smiled.

“Of course I’m, and you’re too,” she smirked, pulling herself closer to Quinn by huntress’ arm, “Earlier you were stuttering too...were you thinking I was beautiful?”

Quinn’s eyes went wide.

“Nop!” she shook her head frantically which made Fiora laugh.

“So cute,” she had never heard that tone of voice from Fiora before. It was cute too.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I made as much research on lore as I could in this fic and I even tried to go beyond. I am sure I probably made some typos and grammar mistakes, 'cause I am not a native speaker, and I would to assert here that it's ok to point it to me in the comments.
> 
> Also, I think I let some subjects and matters opened and I may do other fics in this context, universe. So if you like this one, you can stay around for more s2
> 
> Kudos, bookmarks and comments are always welcome and help me understand how my writing is doing and if it needs specifics improvements!


End file.
